Chapter Twenty-One

There was a tentative knock at Leah’s door. Unable to face the gossip and rumour about her that was flying around the city, Leah had taken refuge in her old room at the palace. She frowned as she sensed the identity of the person on the other side before slowly opening the door to the tall young woman.

“Leah,” started Jessalyn then stopped, her eyebrows drawing together. When Leah remained staring silently, she blinked and said, “May I come in?”

“Up to you.” With a shrug, Leah dragged herself back to her bed.

Jessalyn tucked her leg under her as she sat next to Leah. “Is this what you’ve been trying to deal with on your own?”

Leah nodded, keeping her gaze firmly on the floor.

“The thing that caused your... illness?”

Another nod.

“How’re you feeling?”

“Awful. I thought that night was the worst time of my life. But now I think yesterday was. When that happened in front of everyone... to see their expressions...” Her voice caught; she struggled to draw breath. “I want to be rid of it. But I can’t. There’s too much at stake. I’m still me, yet already everyone treats me like I’m something changed, something to be feared.”

Jessalyn’s hand hovered by Leah’s shoulder before she squeezed it. “Give them time. They’ll come around. I’m sure of it.”

“How can you be so sure? Have you?”

She nodded. “You’ve always stood by me. You’re my friend. And the way I see it, if someone has to have magic then I’m glad it’s someone I know and trust.”

Leah raised her wet, dull eyes. “But I’ve been touched by evil–”

“You haven’t told me why. There must have been a reason why he singled you out.”

“He wants me to do his dirty work for him.” Leah explained the reason Belosh had given her magic.

Jessalyn’s eyes widened. “You see? Once everyone knows the reason they’ll understand. You’re fighting for us, Leah, to keep us safe from this evil. How can anyone think badly of you for that?”

Despite her misery, Leah had to smile at her friend’s overwhelming optimism.

However, it was not as straightforward as Jessalyn believed it would be. When she finally ventured out of her room, Leah didn’t have to hear the whispers, or see people avoiding her... their fear was so obvious, it still buffeted her senses even though she thought herself well-shielded.

The priests, outraged at discovering the royal daughter was now an instrument of the demon lord, chose to ignore Edmon’s announcement about her mission to keep them all safe; they seemed to go out of their way to stoke the people’s fears. The king’s command to keep the priests confined to the temple had little effect in silencing them.

Leah chose to spend her time, either in her room at the palace or at the training compound. She didn’t seek out her friends for, apart from Jessalyn, the others failed to hide their unease. 

*          *          *          *

Leah knew the training compound was empty even before she’d stepped in. And knew it would remain empty for the duration of her session. She sensed before she saw, the person standing close by the entrance. She hadn’t spoken to Conor since the day before the graduation ceremony when she’d attacked Veha.

They stood facing each other, fidgeting, neither speaking until Leah could no longer bear the silence. “How is... Veha?”

“Alright, I suppose. Too embarrassed to tell anyone about your... encounter, so you don’t have to worry.”

She flinched. “That’s not why I asked.”

“She wants me to promise not to have anything to do with you.”

Leah found she couldn’t hold his indifferent stare, scared she might be tempted to manipulate him again. “So, you’ve come to tell me–”

“I told her that would be difficult...”

Hope flared in her heart only to fade as he continued.

“As warriors, we may be required to serve together.” When she didn’t respond, he said, “I admit, that day, I think I wanted something to happen. I think maybe something did. I felt...” He shrugged. “I don’t know what I felt. But now I know I was right when I said you’ve changed. I just didn’t realise how much–”

“That’s not fair,” she whispered. “You don’t know how hard–”

“No, I don’t. And I don’t want to know. Still, I wish you success in facing this... this enemy that is coming. We all do.” He turned to walk away.

She laughed, a harsh sound. “Tell Veha, with any luck, I won’t survive then you can live happily ever after.”

He hesitated then continued on his way without another word.

It took Leah a moment to realise she was shaking with the effort not to give way to her heartache. Swallowing repeatedly, she made her way into the building. As she walked to the middle of the training area, she extended her hand; her sword materialised out of thin air.

“It is time.” Her tutor appeared even as he spoke. “For your final testing.”

His words cut through her misery; she couldn’t conceal her surprise. “I’m ready?”

“Let us hope you are. For the enemy is on the move. Observe.” He gestured at the empty space between them and the air shimmered.

She gasped and stepped back as a hazy-rimmed window appeared, opening out onto a foreign landscape. Collecting herself, she frowned at the soundless vision, trying to make sense of it. “It’s Kurabar,” she finally whispered. “But what is that?” She could not make out anything save what appeared to be a giant dust cloud bearing down on a gathering of tent-dwellers.

“Patience.”

As she watched, the dust cloud enveloped the dark-skinned people who had already begun to flee. A white-robed man stepped from the cloud even as it dissipated and coalesced into hideous, black-robed things. They grabbed the fleeing Kurabarans with talon-like hands and cracked open their mouths to reveal razor-sharp teeth. Sinking them into silent, screaming faces, they fed, leaving shrivelled husks in their wake.

Crying out, Leah fell back. The silence of the tableau only added to the horror.

“Those are his followers, servants of his father, now tied to him. He has corrupted them by allowing them to cross the boundary... allowing them to feed on the life force of mortals. And they have been feeding regularly since...” He gestured and one cruel scene was replaced by another.

Leah fell to her knees, a sob escaping her as she witnessed a distraught Finlonel beating his chest over the bodies of his wife and… an old woman.

“The crone you see was the human’s daughter. That is all that is left when Shalyer and his followers have finished feasting. Now come.” With a cursory wave of an elegant hand, the image disappeared, leaving nothing but innocuous air. “Prepare yourself. And we shall see how ready you are to face the upstart.”

“She was... Eoli was my friend.”

“And now you must avenge her. You do not have the time to wallow in grief. Shalyer is coming here for your father. For your beloved family,” he said with a sneer.

Leah clenched her jaw then roughly wiped the tears from her face. Deliberately she got to her feet, simultaneously retrieving her sword, which she’d dropped in shock. She adjusted her stance, sword held ready, waiting for his attack.

They stared unblinkingly at each other. A heart-stopping smile teased his expressive lips. He looked more like a lover about to woo her than an adversary. His eyes narrowed slightly. A glowing orb hurtled at her from the left.

Leah brought her sword up, deflecting it with barely a glance.

A brow raised quizzically as his hand slowly, thoughtfully came up to stroke his chin.

Leah sensed disturbances around her, seconds before orbs came flying at her. Her sword swung up to repel the orbs. She sent orbs of her own to counter his, causing them to explode in mid-air.

He sent ‘decoy’ orbs, which dissolved inches from her. But they succeeded in distracting her from the deadly ones, which wounded on contact, drawing blood.

Leah bit back a cry of pain, knowing she had to see past it. She had to concentrate on taking the fight to him. Frowning, she sensed a shift in the energy patterns around them but didn’t stop moving towards him. Until her instincts made her swing around.

An impossibly tall, impossibly thin, naked being faced her. Bald, with a scythe-like nose and thin lips, its face was dominated by a pair of protruding, yellow eyes. It regarded Leah blankly then, arms held rigid at its side, rushed her.

She darted out of its way, shooting orbs at it even as she began to summon the magic to energise her sword.

Dodging the orbs, the demon opened its mouth to reveal a double row of pointed teeth. A forked tongue snaked out to flick repeatedly at Leah.

Covered in sweat, her stomach heaving, she strained to make sure that just enough energy poured into the sword. All the while she kept taking deliberate steps back, staying out of its reach.

It lunged towards her.

She jerked back, almost dropping the sword. Its teeth caught her left shoulder, ripping through the tunic, tearing her skin. She pulled away, her pained cry echoing around them.

It made another grab at her, but she managed to get a shield up. Her next orb exploded before its eyes, and it staggered to a stop. Leah swung her sword around. The energised blade slid through the monster’s torso as easily as it slid through air.

Leah stared as it disappeared with a sickening hiss. She stumbled forward as another cry escaped her. Unbelievably, her tutor was shooting more orbs at her. Baring her teeth, she forced her limbs to move. And move she did, with a swiftness that did not seem possible. Each move brought her closer to the immortal until she was only a sword’s length away.

Leah thrust her hand out, palm facing him; he landed on his back. Sword hanging by her side, she made her slow way to him. Blood-flecked, sweat-soaked, she glared at him with lips curled back, breath escaping noisily through her flared nostrils. Neither her pounding heart nor the roaring in her ears failed to distract her from her single-minded desire to destroy him.

Unease flickered over his exquisite features, swiftly replaced by a slow smile. “How confident. And so audacious.”

Caught off-guard by the languorous smile, Leah frowned. An unexpected fluttering in her stomach made her avert her gaze; she stepped away.

He chuckled as he got to his feet. “I could almost feel sorry for the bastard.”

With her back to him, Leah continued to walk away, clenching her fist as if to hold her emotions in check. “Am I ready then?”

“Do you think you are?”

“I bested you. How hard can it be, defeating a mere half-immortal?” She stiffened, feeling him directly behind her. She hadn’t heard his approach.

“Do not let a fluke be your undoing.”

Leah did not reply. Did not move, as his lips brushed against her ear.

“Why do you not embrace your power? The only mortal with such a gift yet you strive to deny its potency.”

“It is not a gift,” she replied through gritted teeth.

“But you want to, do you not? I can feel your struggle...” His hands moved up but did not touch her; he caressed the air around her instead.

Yet Leah could feel him, as certainly as if she were in his arms.

“So tempting,” he breathed against her.

Despite her disgust, she could feel herself beginning to respond. She wanted him to touch her, to take her in his arms and kiss her. She hesitated. And was engulfed. She leant against him, eyes sliding shut.

His hands moved up her arms as he kissed her neck.

When he turned her to face him, Leah opened her eyes to meet his black orbs, tinged with red. She was barely aware of his small smile of triumph as he leant forward to kiss her, at the same time pressing his body against hers.

Leah frowned slightly. This wasn’t the one she wanted to be with; she loathed him... didn’t she? Even as she responded to his kiss, moulded her body against his, it slowly came to her that it was the dark in her. The dark that had been growing ever since Belosh had infected her. The dark, fed by her resentment and loneliness, was now thirsting to answer this dark lord. Summoning every shred of self-discipline, she pushed away from him. Stumbled and fell to her knees. “Stay. Away. From me.”

Blinking rapidly, he lifted his brows... seemed about to speak. Then, as his veins strained against his skin, he pulled his lips back. “Never before have I been rejected.” He stepped towards her. “Know this, mortal. It would require no effort for me to shatter your resolve. To make you my plaything.” He came to an abrupt stop as his eyes glazed.

Leah recognised the expression and suspected that a will stronger than his own was holding him back.

“Shame.” His voice was heavy with thwarted lust.

Digging her fingers into the dirt floor, Leah shook with the effort of battling her dark self back into its flimsy cage, barely succeeding in imprisoning it again.

“You are ready. There is nothing left to teach you.” And then he was gone.

Left alone, she wrapped her arms around herself and let her tears fall. 

*          *          *          *

Leah climbed the stairs, her gaze fixed straight ahead. She struggled to ignore the now familiar silence that trailed her as those around her looked away. But she refused to let them see how much it distressed her, refused to run up the stairs, to seek shelter in the false sanctuary of the royal chambers.

On her approach, the royal guard sprang to his feet. Like everyone else, he was unable to make eye contact. Leos knocked before opening the door for her. No words were spoken. Not like before, in happier times, when Leah would always exchange pleasantries with him. Out the corner of her eye, she glimpsed him making a sign to ward off the evil eye. How much more before my heart finally breaks?

She let the door shut behind her as a deep sigh spilt from her lips. Sensing her mother in the bedchamber, she contemplated leaving, but then Maeve appeared.

The older woman came to a stop. “Oh. Leah. I didn’t realise...”

“I’ve only now come in.” Leah knew her mother was desperately trying to keep things normal between them, but her fear and uncertainty were too obvious for Leah to ignore.

“You’re hurt.”

She shrugged. “Training.”

“Why have you not had that tended to? Come and sit.” Ignoring Leah’s protests, she went to fetch a basin of water and a towel. But first, she tugged at the bell-rope to summon one of her ladies.

Leah sat, tense and silent, as Maeve’s hands hovered timidly over her before ripping the tunic further, grimacing at the torn skin. “You really should go to the Sanctuary, Leah.”

“I’d rather not.”

“But there’s not much I can do here.” She glanced over her shoulder as the door opened and a young woman, not much older than Leah, slipped inside. “Ella, go to the Sanctuary and bring one of the physicians. Tell him he is needed to tend a torn shoulder.”

With a hurried curtsy, she darted out the door again.

While Maeve dabbed at the bloodied skin with the wet cloth, Leah wondered if she should tell her mother about Gwilliyn and Eoli... and of her impending departure. But then what if Maeve asked how she knew these things? A shudder escaped her at the thought of her dark tutor, and how close she’d come to surrendering herself to him.

“Keep still, Leah. I realise this must sting but I don’t want to actually touch the open wound.”

Her self-loathing reared its ugly head to whisper in her ear that her mother did not deserve to be touched by one such as her. She pulled away. “That’s enough, Mother. I’ll wait until the physician comes.” Cradling her arm, she moved to stand by the tall windows as she strove to shut out her mother’s hurt… and relief.